Portable Pittsburgh Artifact Kit in Your Classroom

Portable Pittsburgh is a resource to help teach Pittsburgh’s rich history. The kit includes 32 artifacts, 32 mystery artifact cards, 15 visual aids, one timeline, 32 mystery artifact stickers, and various printed materials.

The artifacts help make history tangible. The visual aids help students see how the city has changed during its 250-plus years of life. And the timeline helps students organize information and understand that Pittsburgh’s history stretches far back in time.

The Portable Pittsburgh Artifact Kit is easy to use, flexible and appropriate for elementary students in the classroom or for use in after-school programs.

Borrowing Procedure

Call the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation at 412-471-5808, or e-mail Karen Cahall, to reserve the Portable Pittsburgh Artifact Kit for a seven-day period. Once the program is scheduled, we will mail the teacher a guide with background information and activities. Teachers must come to the PHLF office to pick up Portable Pittsburgh (see “Picking Up” below).

Fee And Deposit Required

$25.00 for PHLF members; $50.00 for non-members. Any school or community group may join the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation for $35.00.

In addition, all borrowers are required to pay a $50.00 security deposit that will be refunded if the artifact kit is returned on time, in good order, and without any items missing or damaged. We will mail your deposit check back to you.

Two separate checks are required: one in the amount of the rental fee and one in the amount of the deposit. Checks should be made payable to “PHLF” and referenced “Artifacts.”

Penalty for Late Return

If you return Portable Pittsburgh after your scheduled due date, your $50.00 deposit check will not be refunded and your school or community group could be billed up to $500 to cover the cost of any missing or damaged artifacts or visual aids.

Picking Up and Returning the Portable Pittsburgh Artifact Kit.

Once you have confirmed your reservation with PHLF, you may pick up the kit from the fourth floor of The Landmarks Building at Station Square. (The Landmarks Building houses the Grand Concourse Restaurant at Station Square and the fourth-floor offices of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.)

You will be picking up:

a wheeled suitcase (27″x19″x9″) packed with 32 artifacts, a Pittsburgh History Outline, and various printed materials.